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About Mahadeva Ishaya

Yoga and meditation are two of my big passions. I first started practicing in 1996 and was blown away by the benefits I received. I became more flexible, balanced and healthy. My outlook on life changed too – I was much happier and contented and finally felt good in my own skin.

I committed more and more to my practice and before too long my inner journey became my driving force. My path led me around the world, including 3 trips to India as well as a 5 months retreat in the Greek mountains and a 6 months retreat in Canada. The result was that I experienced happiness, peace of mind and health at a level I had never known before.

It was whilst in Canada in 2003 that I decided to commit my life to sharing the Ishayas’ meditation teaching I have been practising since 1998. I took a set of vows, and received my spiritual name, Mahadeva Ishaya. The following year I qualified as a teacher of the Ishayas’ Ascension meditation.

Although currently based in Linlithgow, near Edinburgh, I have taught around Europe and in Canada. My wife, Lilavati, and I ran a meditation and yoga centre in Mexico City a few years ago and we have also been based in the north of Mexico in the city of Monterrey (I speak some Spanish). We have a daughter, Iona.

I teach classes in Scotland and Spain, and help run a regular weekly meditation group in Edinburgh. You can find out about meditation classes at FindPeace.co.uk

For a number of years I have taught hatha yoga on retreats and in workshops, but a desire grew to offer classes to a wider audience. Hence this site and the yoga classes that are available.

For me, yoga practice should be enjoyable; after all, we are moving towards greater health, happiness and awareness (what’s not to enjoy?). If you find pleasure in something it’s much easier to continue doing it. My classes are designed so that you enjoy them and you finish the class feeling good about yourself. As you experience the benefits of practice you are naturally motivated to continue.

Classes are non-competitive and down-to-earth. It’s not a fashion show, or a chance to show-off how flexible you are. The whole point of yoga is to bring awareness to the moment, and in our classes this means noticing where your body and attention is at in the moment of practice, and of accepting and exploring that.

Self-violence or judgement towards your body have no place in yoga, so the classes help promote feelings of appreciation towards yourself (just as you are).

Sometimes in life we can take ourselves a bit too seriously, so we keep a happy, playful vibe in the group. If this sounds like what you’ve been looking for then I look forward to seeing you sometime soon.